Taxol is a naturally occurring taxane diterpenoid that has exhibited significant clinical activity as an antineoplastic agent with considerable potential for further development. The widespread treatment of candidates for taxol therapy is limited by the current scarcity of the drug. The low abundance of taxol in its natural source, the bark of the slow-growing Pacific yew, makes the long term prospects for the availability of taxol through isolation discouraging. Taxol has the general formula and a corresponding numbering system, as shown below: ##STR1##
Among the solutions to the taxol supply problem addressable by organic chemists is the partial synthesis of the drug, or of clinically effective analogs, by the attachment to naturally derived substances like baccatin III of the A-ring side chain that protrudes from the C-13 position. The preparation of taxol and its analogs is known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,011, issued May 8, 1990 to Denis et al discloses the process for preparing taxol by the condensation of a (2R, 3S) side chain acid with a taxane derivative, followed by the removal of various groups protecting the hydroxyl groups. U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,012, issued May 8, 1990 to Colin et al discloses a process for preparing derivatives of baccatin III and of 10-deacetyl-baccatin III, by condensation of an acid with a derivative of baccatin III or of 10-deacetylbaccatin III, with the subsequent removal of protecting groups by hydrogen. Several syntheses of TAXOTERE.RTM. (Registered to Rhone-Poulenc Sante) and related compounds have been reported in the Journal of Organic Chemistry: 1986, 51, 46; 1990, 55, 1957; 1991, 56, 1681; 1991, 56, 6939; 1992, 57, 4320; 1992, 57, 6387; and 993, 58, 255; also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,744 issued May 14, 1991 to Holton describes such a synthesis.
The most straightforward implementation of partial synthesis of taxol requires convenient access to chiral, non-racemic side chain and derivatives, an abundant natural source of baccatin III or closely related diterpenoid substances, and an effective means of joining the two. Of particular interest then is the condensation of Baccatin III and 10-deacetyl Baccatin III of the formula: ##STR2## with the side chain: ##STR3## However, the esterification of these two units is difficult because of the hindered C-13 hydroxyl of baccatin III located within the concave region of the hemispherical taxane skeleton. For example, Greene and Gueritte-Voegelein reported only a 50% conversion after 100 hours in one partial synthesis of taxol. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1988, 110, 5917. The Holten patent addresses one method of more efficient synthesis.
Still, a need exists for further efficient protocols for the attachment of the taxol A-ring side chain to the taxane skeleton (e.g., baccatin III) and for the synthesis of taxol, taxol analogs and their intermediates with variable A-ring side chain structures.